Internet porn baron is freed

A MAN described as one of Britain's biggest Internet vice barons was spared jail yesterday when his 18-month prison sentence was suspended for two years on health grounds.

Graham Waddon, 28, published the "most obscene and vile photographs police had found on the Internet", Southwark Crown Court in London was told.

However, Judge Christopher Hardy said he accepted "somewhat reluctantly" Waddon's health difficulties.

Customers could log on to "revolting" US-based hard core websites involving sex with animals and torture. Waddon made pounds 126,000 and his alleged accomplice, Raymond McArthur-Jones made pounds 607,000. But all the money had been spent.

McArthur-Jones is serving 23 months in the United States after pleading guilty to being involved in child pornography.

Earlier, Waddon, of Sutton, Surrey, admitted 11 sample counts of publishing obscene articles on the Internet with one charge of having an obscene video for gain.